How do we get more people to watch documentaries on the big screen, especially given that regular theatrical releases of docs mostly fail to reach the right audiences? Moving Docs proves that 'event cinema' is the answer – but how can I participate when I'm stuck at home?

Event cinema appears to be the one thing that works: never just offer a simple film screening; always combine it with discussions, music, food and drink; better yet, hold these events in unusual places. Moving Docs partners have been good at that: In Cyprus, Lemesos International Documentary Festival held an outdoor screening on a beach, while Doc Lounge in Sweden has gone as far as screening a film in a swimming pool, their audience floating in the water. Slowly, as Fritz Kohle recently reported for Moving Docs from the IBC, the world of traditional cinema is waking up to the concept of event cinema, too.

But what about those of us who are stuck at home: as parents, due to illness, or in remote places? Do we have to miss out on the rise of event cinema? And what could Moving Docs do in order to make us feel part of it, easily, remotely, virtually?

It was in early 2016 – when we had to decide on the Moving Docs strategy for 2017 – that we all agreed we should look into virtual screening rooms that would enable us to bring event cinema to everyone – with a special focus on enabling online audiences to participate rather than just watch a one-directional live stream. And with a bigger question lurking in the long term: if such online events could be monetised through ticket sales for online participation.

The Moving Docs initiative, coordinated by the European Documentary Network, brings together many regional and national documentary exhibitors across Europe including festivals, distributors, cinemas, and non-theatrical events.

The common aim is to combine everyone’s powers, both in enabling the acquisition of high-profile documentaries and in jointly developing and delivering audience engagement strategies.

Film & Campaign delivered a comprehensive report on Moving Docs’ online activities in 2016, including a range of recommendations. This new report focuses on developments in 2017, be they results of any measures taken or overall trends in social media use.

How did a niche documentary by a first-time director, about two unknown Iranian DJs, become one of Germany’s cinematic events of the year? Over 60,000 people in Germany have now seen Raving Iran, the debut feature by Susanne Regina Meures, and a year after its release the film continues to draw interest. On the occasion of the film's online launch in our MOVING DOCS Home Cinema, Kirstin Innes talked to Weronika Adamowska of Raving Iran’s distributors and Moving Docs partners, Rise and Shine Cinema, about how they did it.